Names Deemed "formal"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is formal.
gender
usage
impression
Concetta f Italian
Means "conceived" in Italian, referring to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Concettina f Italian
Diminutive of Concetta.
Conchobhar m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Conchobar.
Concordia f Roman Mythology
Means "harmony" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of harmony and peace.
Confucius m History
Anglicized form of the Chinese name Kong Fuzi. The surname (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title 夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was Qiu.
Conleth m Irish
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Conláed, possibly meaning "constant fire" from cunnail "prudent, constant" and áed "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
Conrad m English, German, Germanic
Means "brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements kuoni "brave" and rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Conrado m Spanish
Spanish form of Conrad.
Consolata f Italian
Means "consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Maria Consolata.
Constance f English, French
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
Constantia f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from Constans.
Constantijn m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantin m Romanian, French
Romanian and French form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantina f Late Roman, Romanian
Feminine form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantine m History
From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Constanza f Spanish
Spanish form of Constantia.
Constanze f German
German form of Constantia.
Conway m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
Coraline f Literature, French
Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.
Cordelia f Literature, English
From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.... [more]
Cordell m English
From an English surname meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.
Cordula f German
Late Latin name meaning "heart" from Latin cor (genitive cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
Corentin m Breton, French
French form of the Breton name Kaourintin, possibly from korventenn meaning "hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *karid meaning "love" (modern Breton karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Coretta f English
Diminutive of Cora. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Coriander f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying.
Corinne f French, English
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Cornelio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Cornelius.
Cornelis m Dutch
Dutch form of Cornelius.
Corneliu m Romanian
Romanian form of Cornelius.
Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, Biblical
Roman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element cornu meaning "horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Cornell m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cornelius.
Corrina f English
Variant of Corinna.
Corrine f English
Variant of Corinne.
Corwin m English
From an English surname, derived from Old French cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of Cordova.
Cosima f Italian
Italian feminine form of Cosimo.
Cosmas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, decency". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
Cosmina f Romanian
Feminine form of Cosmin.
Costantino m Italian
Italian form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Costanza f Italian
Italian feminine form of Constans.
Crawford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "crow ford" in Old English.
Creighton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name, originally from Gaelic crioch "border" combined with Old English tun "town".
Crescencia f Spanish
Spanish form of Crescentia.
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from crescere "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Crescentia f German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Crescentius. Saint Crescentia was a 4th-century companion of Saint Vitus. This is also the name of the eponymous heroine of a 12th-century German romance.
Crescentius m Late Roman
Latin name that was a derivative of the name Crescens. This was the name of a few early saints, including a child martyred in Rome during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Crescenzo m Italian
Italian form of Crescentius.
Cressida f Literature
Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).
Cristián m Spanish
Spanish form of Christian.
Cristiana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Christina.
Cristóbal m Spanish
Spanish form of Christopher.
Cristóvão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Christopher.
Crocifissa f Italian (Rare)
Means "crucifix" in Italian, derived from Latin crucifixus "fixed to a cross", from crux "cross" and fixus "fixed, fastened".
Crofton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town with a small enclosed field" in Old English.
Cronus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *(s)ker- meaning "to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.
Ctirad m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and radŭ "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by Šárka.
Cúchulainn m Irish Mythology
Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.
Cunégonde f French (Rare)
French form of Kunigunde. Voltaire used this name in his novel Candide (1759).
Cunobelinus m Brythonic (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Brythonic name, possibly from old Celtic * "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos) combined with either the name of the god Belenus or another Celtic root meaning "strong". This was the name of a 1st-century king of southeastern Britain. He is known from Roman historians such as Suetonius and medieval Welsh histories, as well as from coins bearing his name.
Cuthberht m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Cuthbert.
Cuthbert m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements cuþ "known, familiar" and beorht "bright". Saint Cuthbert was a 6th-century hermit who became the bishop of Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of England. He was known as performer of healing miracles. Because of the saint, this name remained in use in England even after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was (briefly) revived in the 19th century.
Cvetka f Slovene
Derived from Slovene cvet meaning "blossom, flower".
Cybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
Cymbeline m Literature
Form of Cunobelinus used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).
Cynbel m Medieval Welsh
Medieval Welsh name of uncertain meaning.
Cynebald m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and beald "bold, brave".
Cyneburg f Anglo-Saxon
Means "royal fortress" from Old English cyne "royal" and burg "fortress". Saint Cyneburga, a daughter of a king of Mercia, was the founder of an abbey at Castor in the 7th century.
Cynefrið m Anglo-Saxon
Means "royal peace" from Old English cyne "royal" and friþ "peace".
Cynemær m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and mære "famous".
Cyneric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and ric "ruler, king".
Cynesige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and sige "victory".
Cyneweard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and weard "guard".
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage and a martyr under the emperor Valerian.
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Cyrano m Literature
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He based his character upon a real person, the French satirist Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655).
Cyriacus m Late Roman
Latinized form of the Greek name Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant "of the lord" (derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.
Cyrielle f French
French feminine form of Cyril.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Cyrus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Persian (Latinized)
Latin form of Greek Κῦρος (Kyros), from the Old Persian name 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (Kuruš), possibly meaning "young" or "humiliator (of the enemy)". Alternatively it could be of Elamite origin. The name has sometimes been associated with Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord".... [more]
Cystennin m Welsh
Welsh form of Constantine.
Czcibor m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Ctibor.
Czesław m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and slava "glory".
Czesława f Polish
Feminine form of Czesław.
Dacian m Romanian
Derived from Dacia, the old Roman name for the region that is now Romania and Moldova.
Daciana f Romanian
Feminine form of Dacian.
Daedalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Δαίδαλος (Daidalos), which was derived from δαιδάλλω (daidallo) meaning "to work cunningly". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King Minos, but he and his son Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daedalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.
Dafna f Hebrew
Means "laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.
Dagmar f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, Czech, Slovak
From the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.
Dagmara f Polish
Polish form of Dagmar.
Dahlia f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Daina f Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "song" in Lithuanian and Latvian.
Dalit f Hebrew
From Hebrew דָּלִיָּה (daliyyah) meaning "hanging branch".
Dalitso m & f Chewa
Means "blessing" in Chewa.
Dalya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew דַּלְיָה (see Dalia 3).
Damaris f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.
Damayanti f Hinduism
Means "subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of Nala.
Damian m English, Polish, Romanian, Dutch (Modern)
From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.
Damiana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Damian.
Damiano m Italian
Italian form of Damian.
Damien m French
French form of Damian.
Damijana f Slovene
Slovene feminine form of Damian.
Damir 1 m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Possibly derived from the Slavic elements danŭ "given" and mirŭ "peace, world". Otherwise, it might be of Turkic or Russian origin (see Damir 2). It was popularized by a character from Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel Gordana (1935).
Damocles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Δαμοκλῆς (Damokles), which was derived from δᾶμος (damos) meaning "the people", a Doric Greek variant of δῆμος (demos), and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend Damocles was a member of the court of Dionysius the Elder, the king of Syracuse. Damocles expressed envy of the king's station so Dionysius offered to switch roles with him for a day. To illustrate to Damocles the peril of a man in his position he suspended a sword over the throne.
Damodar m Hindi
Modern form of Damodara.
Damodara m Hinduism
Means "rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit दाम (dama) meaning "rope" and उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, given to him because his foster-mother tied him to a large urn.
Dániel m Hungarian, Faroese
Hungarian and Faroese form of Daniel.
Daniël m Dutch
Dutch form of Daniel.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.... [more]
Danielius m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Daniel.
Daniella f English, Hungarian
Feminine form of Daniel.
Danielle f French, English
French feminine form of Daniel. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
Danihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Daniel used in the Latin Bible.
Danijel m Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Form of Daniel in several languages.
Daniyyel m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Daniel.
Danne m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Daniel or Dan 3.
Danuše f Czech
Diminutive of Dana 1.
Danuta f Polish
Polish form of Danutė.
Danutė f Lithuanian
Meaning uncertain, possibly a feminine form of Daniel. It is found in Lithuania from at least 14th century, being borne by a sister of Vytautas the Great.
Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Darina 2 f Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian
Derived from the Slavic word darŭ meaning "gift". It is sometimes used as a diminutive of names beginning with Dar.
Darius m English, Lithuanian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Persian (Latinized)
Latin form of Greek Δαρεῖος (Dareios), from the Old Persian name 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎢𐏁 (Darayauš), shortened from 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 (Darayavauš). It means "possessing goodness", composed of 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹 (daraya) meaning "to possess, to hold" and 𐎺𐎢 (vau) meaning "good". Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.... [more]
Dariush m Persian
Modern Persian form of Darayavauš (see Darius).
Dariusz m Polish
Polish form of Darius.
Darrin m English
Variant of Darren.
D'Artagnan m Literature
Means "from Artagnan" in French, Artagnan being a town in southwestern France. This was the name of a character in the novel The Three Musketeers (1884) by Alexandre Dumas. In the novel D'Artagnan is an aspiring musketeer who first duels with the three title characters and then becomes their friend.
Darwin m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Deorwine. The surname was borne by the British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.
Daryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Darina 2.
Dashiell m English (Rare)
In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) it was from his mother's surname, which was possibly an Anglicized form of French de Chiel, of unknown meaning.
Davide m Italian
Italian form of David.
Davion m African American (Modern)
Recently created name, based on the sounds found in names such as David and Darian.
Dawud m Arabic
Arabic form of David.
Dearbháil f Irish
From Old Irish Derbáil meaning "daughter of Fál", derived from the prefix der meaning "daughter" and Fál, a legendary name for Ireland.
Deasún m Irish
Irish shortened form of Deasmhumhain (see Desmond).
Debora f Italian, Dutch, German (Rare)
Italian, Dutch and German form of Deborah.
Deborah f English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.... [more]
Decima f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Decimus.
Decimus m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "tenth" in Latin.
Deepika f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीपिका, Kannada ದೀಪಿಕಾ, Malayalam ദീപിക, Tamil தீபிகா or Telugu దీపికా (see Dipika).
Deianeira f Greek Mythology
From Greek δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.
Deidra f English
Variant of Deirdre.
Deimos m Greek Mythology
Means "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.
Deirbhile f Irish
Means "daughter of a poet" from Old Irish der "daughter" and fili "poet" (genitive filed). This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, also called Dervla.
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.... [more]
Delara f Persian
Means "adorning the heart", from Persian دل (del) meaning "heart" and آرا (ara) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Delora f English
Altered form of Dolores.
Delores f English
Variant of Dolores.
Delphia f English
Possibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
Delphina f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Delphinus, which meant "of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Delphine f French
French form of Delphina.
Delphinus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Delphina. Saint Delphinus was a 4th-century bishop of Bordeaux.
Demelza f English (British, Rare)
From a Cornish place name meaning "fort of Maeldaf". It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the British television series Poldark, which was set in Cornwall.
Demeter 1 f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek δᾶ (da) meaning "earth" and μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of Cronus, the sister of Zeus, and the mother of Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
Demeter 2 m Slovak, Hungarian
Slovak and Hungarian form of Demetrius.
Demetra f Italian (Rare), Romanian (Rare), Greek
Italian and Romanian form of Demeter 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Greek Δήμητρα (see Dimitra).
Demétrio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Demetrius.
Demetrio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Demetrius.
Demetrios m Ancient Greek, Greek
Ancient Greek form of Demetrius, as well as an alternate transcription of the Modern Greek form Dimitrios.
Demetrius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Δημήτριος (Demetrios), which was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Demeter 1. Kings of Macedon and the Seleucid kingdom have had this name. This was also the name of several early saints including Demetrius of Thessalonica, a martyr of the 4th century who is regarded as a warrior.
Democritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Δημόκριτος (Demokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of the people" from the elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a Greek philosopher, the creator of the atomic theory.
Demosthenes m Ancient Greek
Means "vigour of the people" from Greek δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and σθένος (sthenos) meaning "vigour, strength". This was the name of both an Athenian general of the 5th century and an Athenian orator of the 4th century.
Dénes m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Denis.
Denholm m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "valley island" in Old English.
Deorwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements deore "dear" and wine "friend".
Desdemona f Literature
Derived from Greek δυσδαίμων (dysdaimon) meaning "ill-fated". This is the name of the wife of Othello in Shakespeare's play Othello (1603).
Desiderata f Late Roman
Feminine form of Desideratus.
Desidéria f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese feminine form of Desiderio.
Desideria f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Desiderio. This was the Latin name of a 19th-century queen of Sweden, the wife of Karl XIV. She was born in France with the name Désirée.
Desiderio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Desiderius.
Desiderius m Late Roman
Derived from Latin desiderium meaning "longing, desire". It was the name of several early saints. It was also borne in the 8th century by the last king of the Lombard Kingdom.
Désirée f French, Dutch, German
French form of Desiderata. In part it is directly from the French word meaning "desired, wished".
Desiree f English
English form of Désirée. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie Désirée (1954).
Desislav m Bulgarian
Derived from Slavic elements, possibly desiti "to find, to encounter" or desętĭ "ten", combined with slava "glory".
Desislava f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Desislav.
Desmond m English, Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Deasmhumhain meaning "south Munster", referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland, formerly a kingdom. It can also come from the related surname (an Anglicized form of Ó Deasmhumhnaigh), which indicated a person who came from that region. A famous bearer is the South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
Despina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Despoina.
Despoina f Greek Mythology, Greek
Means "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
Devadas m Hindi
Means "servant of the gods" from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god" and दास (dasa) meaning "servant".
Devaraja m Hinduism
Means "king of gods" from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god" and राज (raja) meaning "king". This is another name of the Hindu god Indra.
Devereux m English (Rare)
From an English surname, of Norman French origin, meaning "from Evreux". Evreux is a town in France.
Devrim m Turkish
Means "revolution" in Turkish.
Dhananjay m Hindi, Marathi
Means "winning wealth" in Sanskrit.
Dharma m Hindi, Telugu, Nepali
Means "that which is established, law, duty, virtue" in Sanskrit.
Diadumenianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Diadumenian.
Diána f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Diana.
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Diane f French, English
French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.
Dianna f English
Variant of Diana.
Dianne f English
Variant of Diane.
Diantha f Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").
Diederich m German (Archaic)
German variant of Dietrich.
Diederick m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Diederik.
Diederik m Dutch
Dutch form of Theodoric.
Dietfried m German (Rare)
Means "peace of the people" from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and fridu meaning "peace".
Diethelm m German
Derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and helm meaning "helmet, protection".
Dietlinde f German
From the Germanic name Theodelinda, derived from the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". Theodelinda was a 6th-century Bavarian princess who became queen of the Lombards.
Dietmar m German
German form of Theudemer.
Dietrich m German
German form of Theodoric. The character Dietrich von Bern, loosely based on Theodoric the Great, appears in medieval German literature such as the Hildebrandslied, the Nibelungenlied and the Eckenlied.
Dieudonné m French
Means "given by God" in French, used as a French form of Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.
Diletta f Italian
Means "beloved" in Italian, from Latin dilectus.
Dimas m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Dismas.
Dimitar m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Demetrius.
Dimitrij m Slovene, Macedonian
Slovene and Macedonian form of Demetrius.
Dimitrios m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Demetrios.
Dimitris m Greek
Modern Greek variant of Demetrios.
Dimosthenis m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Demosthenes.
Diocletian m History
From the Roman cognomen Diocletianus, a derivative of Diokles. This was the name of a Roman emperor of the 3rd and 4th centuries (Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus). He is remembered for persecuting Christians, but he also reformed and stabilized the crumbling Empire.
Diodore m French (Rare)
French form of Diodorus.
Diodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Διόδοτος (Diodotos), a Greek name meaning "given by Zeus" from Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and δοτός (dotos) meaning "given".
Diogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Zeus" from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of a Greek Cynic philosopher.
Diomedes m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of an obscure Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite.
Dionisia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Dionysius.
Dionísio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Dionysius.
Dionisio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Dionysius.
Dionysios m Greek, Ancient Greek
Greek personal name derived from the name of the Greek god Dionysos. Famous bearers include two early tyrants of Syracuse and a 1st-century BC Greek rhetorician.
Dionysius m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical
Latin form of Dionysios. Dionysius the Areopagite, who is mentioned in the New Testament, was a judge converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. This was also the name of many other early saints, including a 3rd-century pope.
Dionysos m Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" combined with Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of Zeus and Semele.
Dior f & m English (Modern)
From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Disha f Hindi, Marathi
Means "region, direction" in Sanskrit.
Dismas m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Greek δυσμή (dysme) meaning "sunset". This is the name traditionally assigned to the repentant thief who was crucified beside Jesus.
Dmitri m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Дмитрий (see Dmitriy).
Dmitriy m Russian
Russian form of Demetrius. This name was borne by several medieval princes of Moscow and Vladimir. Another famous bearer was Dmitriy Mendeleyev (or Mendeleev; 1834-1907), the Russian chemist who devised the periodic table.
Dmitry m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Дмитрий (see Dmitriy).
Dmytro m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Demetrius.
Dobrogost m Polish (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and gostĭ "guest".
Dobromil m Czech (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Dobroslav m Czech, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and slava "glory".
Dobrosław m Polish
Polish form of Dobroslav.
Dobrosława f Polish
Polish feminine form of Dobroslav.
Doireann f Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly from the Old Irish prefix der "daughter" and finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Domenica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Domhnall m Irish
Irish form of Donald.
Dominic m English
From the Late Latin name Dominicus meaning "of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It is primarily used by Catholics.
Dominicus m Late Roman, Dutch
Original Latin form of Dominic. This is also the official Dutch form, used on birth certificates but not typically in daily life.
Dominique f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domitia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Domitius.
Domitian m History
From the Roman cognomen Domitianus, itself derived from the family name Domitius. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, born as Titus Flavius Domitianus.
Domitila f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Domitilla.
Domitilla f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Domitius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.
Domonkos m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Donar m Germanic Mythology
Old High German form of *Þunraz (see Thor).
Donatella f Italian
Diminutive of Donata.
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Donatien m French
French form of Donatianus.
Donatienne f French
French feminine form of Donatianus.
Donatus m Late Roman
Latin form of Donato.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Donelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Don.
Donnchadh m Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Duncan.
Donndubán m Old Irish
Composed of the Old Irish element donn "brown" combined with dub "dark" and a diminutive suffix.
Doria f English (Rare)
Possibly a feminine form of Dorian or an elaboration of Dora.
Dorian m English, French, Romanian
The name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.
Dorina 1 f Romanian
Feminine form of Dorin.
Dorina 2 f Hungarian
Elaboration of Dóra.
Dorine f English
Variant of Doreen.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Late Greek
Feminine form of the Late Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dorotheos m Greek, Late Greek
Greek masculine form of Dorothea.
Dorothy f English
Usual English form of Dorothea. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character, Dorothy Gale, in his fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.
Dorottya f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Dorothea.
Doruk m Turkish
Means "mountaintop" in Turkish.
Dougal m Scottish
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Dubhghall meaning "dark stranger", from Old Irish dub "dark" and gall "stranger". This name was borne by a few medieval Scottish chiefs.
Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Douglass m English
Variant of Douglas.
Draco m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Δράκων (Drakon), which meant "dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
Dracula m History, Literature
Means "son of Dracul" in Romanian, with Dracul being derived from Romanian drac "dragon". It was a nickname of the 15th-century Wallachian prince Vlad III, called the Impaler, whose father was Vlad II Dracul. However, the name Dracula is now most known from the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker, which features the Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula, who was probably inspired in part by the historical Wallachian prince.
Dragomir m Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Romanian
Derived from the Slavic element dorgŭ (South Slavic drag) meaning "precious" combined with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".
Dragos m Romanian
Variant of Dragoș.
Dragoș m Romanian
Originally a short form of Slavic names beginning with the element dorgŭ meaning "precious", such as Dragomir. This was the name of a 14th-century ruler of Moldavia.
Dragoslav m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements dorgŭ (South Slavic drag) meaning "precious" and slava meaning "glory".